Arizona Bill to Censor Internet Speech Now on Governor Brewer’s Desk for Signature

Arizona House Bill 2549 would update the state's telephone harassment law to apply to the Internet and other electronic communications. It would make it a crime to communicate via electronic means speech that is intended to "annoy," "offend," "harass" or "terrify," as well as certain sexual speech. However, because the bill is not limited to one-to-one communications, H.B. 2549 would apply to the Internet as a whole, thus criminalizing all manner of writing, cartoons, and other protected material the state finds offensive or annoying.

After passing out of the Senate Rules Committee, the Democratic and Republican caucuses passed the bill onto the full Senate for consideration of whether or not to put H.B. 2549 to a vote. Media Coalition sent a memo to every member of the Arizona State Senate.